From the moment Israel finally met Dara at a bowling alley in November 2022, he knew she was the one. They had connected on Instagram months earlier, met in person that November, and were married by September 2024. On this episode of Real Lovers Use Piggyvest, the Obasolas share their love story with Piggyvest, talking about what it takes to build a strong marriage—kindness, communication, and a love rooted in faith. They also discuss their personal financial systems, how they saved for their wedding using Piggybank and Safelock, and advice for intending couples.
How did you two meet and when?
Dara: We met in November 2022. Well, we met in person in November, but we’d already met earlier in the year on Instagram.
We started talking around June or July, met in person in November, and started dating that same month. By September 2024, we were married.
When you guys met, what was your first impression of each other?
Dara: I thought he was a cool guy. For our first date, we went bowling, and he was very nice.
Israel: I knew she was my person the very first day, on our first date.
Was there anything in particular that stood out to you?
Israel: I think it was the connection. The connection was instant, and many of the decisions that followed came easily to me. Things that might have been difficult before we met became easy, including making sacrifices.
Dara: Exactly what he said. When we met, a lot of things just fell into place. It was very easy to decide things about him or do things relating to him.
Before you got into this relationship, you had your own notions of what love is. Has that changed? What does love mean to both of you now?
Israel: We decided to base our love solely on our belief in God. Primarily, love is God, love is sacrifice, and love is selfless. These are the traits we try to embody.
Dara: For me, love has definitely evolved. I’m the type of person who doesn’t believe in love at first sight; love has always been something gentle that grows over time. With Israel, it grew very fast.
I’ve also learned that love shows up in different ways. I used to be very guarded—I didn’t give or receive love easily. But Israel taught me that love is meant to be shared; it’s give-and-take. I’ve been learning from him because he is so good at loving people and making friends, whereas I am much more guarded.
At what point in your relationship did you start talking about money?
Israel: We actually started talking about money very early in the relationship. Dara had a lot of things to take care of at the time, and she wasn’t necessarily accepting help from me. I tried to offer financial advice during that period.
Dara: We met in November 2022, and by mid-2023, we were already having financial conversations. He would ask about my savings because he knew my salary, and I had an idea of his salary as well. By September 2023, we started a joint savings account to save for our wedding and a house.
How did you manage your savings?
Dara: We used Piggyvest for our savings, both the Piggybank and Safelock features. I would send my savings to him, and he would put it in the app. We had about a year to save for our wedding in September 2024, so we just worked with whatever we could save in that time.
Dara, how did it feel to be that vulnerable during those first money talks, especially since Israel mentioned you weren’t used to accepting help?
Dara: It was hard. Just as I was guarded with love, I was guarded with money. I wasn’t used to accepting help, not because of a “strong independent woman” narrative, but because I wasn’t very trusting. I also felt that if you don’t know how to give help, you shouldn’t collect it because you won’t know how to reciprocate. It was a bit of a toxic relationship with myself, but I’ve changed.
Israel: It was frustrating. I remember having to let her know I didn’t need anything from her in return. I told her I was there to make life better so that when we got together, everything would be easy. I had to give a whole speech back then.
Dara: Haha! He did prepare a speech.
Aww. And now, how has that changed? How do you handle finances as a couple?
Israel: When we got married, we watched videos of how other couples managed finances, did research, and created a system that works for us. We keep individual savings in our respective Safelocks, and a Group Pocket for household spending and daily expenses.
Have you ever had a disagreement on a financial decision?
Israel: I don’t think that has ever happened.
Dara: Not yet, though we are currently discussing a purchase. Israel wants to buy a PS4.
Israel: Initially, I wanted a PS5, but I decided against it for now. A relative is travelling and selling his PS4, so I want to support him.
Dara: Even if it’s not “house money,” it affects the rhythm of the home if someone is playing games 24/7. We still need to discuss it, but ultimately it’s his money. Generally, we don’t fight about expenditures because we discuss everything beforehand. We are aware of our recurring expenses and communicate if we need to dip into the house fund for a personal reason.
Do you stick to a formal monthly budget?
Israel: Not really. But our input is formal. We allocate a specific percentage of our income to home savings, home spending, and other savings.
Dara: We don’t have a formal budget for expenditure because the amount is usually enough. If we find that the balance is running low, we start looking at our expenses to see what is actually necessary.
What is one big financial goal you are working towards right now?
Dara: Buying a house and going on vacation.
Israel: We have a few locations in mind. If it’s a “vacation-vacation,” we are looking at Japan or Kenya. We are getting there; we already have one flight ticket sorted.
Nice! Who started using Piggyvest first?
Dara: I started in 2019. I’m not sure when Israel started.
Israel: I think I also started around 2019.
And which features do you use the most?
Israel: I love Safelock because you get your interest upfront.
Dara: I use Piggybank more because of the monthly interest. The withdrawal penalty also helped me learn discipline. If I want to break my Piggybank, I think about the penalty and decide to leave the money alone.
Has Piggyvest helped you get better at managing finances as a couple?
Dara: Oh, definitely. 100%. We even used it to save up for a large gift for a friend expecting a baby.
Where do you see your relationship and your finances in five years?
Dara: By God’s grace, we should have saved and invested enough to buy our house. That is the biggest financial goal. As for the family, we will likely have one child by then.
Israel: In five years, we should also be well on our way with our child’s tuition and education funds.
What advice would you give to other couples regarding love and finances?
Israel: My financial advice is that both parties should contribute on an equity basis—meaning percentages. Create an arrangement in which the “house” stands as its own entity, so neither partner looks to the other to meet basic needs. It takes the tension and arguments out of the way because you can both see what the house can and cannot afford.
Dara: Communication is key. Be very open. People often advise women to have a “secret fund,” but that should just be your personal savings. If you develop a system where the house is its own entity, it won’t affect your personal savings. We think of it as four pools: personal spending, personal savings, house spending, and house savings. Also, choose a partner who isn’t jealous of your salary. Beyond money, at the root of everything should be kindness. If you are kind to someone, you won’t want to hurt them. And as Christians, we believe in keeping God at the centre of the marriage.
Can you complete this sentence: “Real lovers use Piggyvest because…”
Dara: Real lovers use Piggyvest because true love is financial responsibility.
Israel: Real lovers use Piggyvest because they are money smart.
